The present invention relates to multi-function copier, printer, and facsimile machines, and more particularly, to a queue management system for ordering the copy, print, and facsimile outputs of multi-function machines.
Historically, copiers, printers, and facsimile or fax machines have been typically individualistic, operating singly in their own separate environments. Thus, copiers have functioned exclusively for the purpose of making copies of documents. And, while with the passage of time, the speed and functionality of copiers have been improved, and aids such as automatic document handlers, stackers, staplers, etc. provided, the basic function of a copier remained the same, that is, to make copies. Similarly, to answer the need to transmit and receive copies between distant locations, the fax machine was developed. However, like the copier, the function of the fax machine was singular, that is, to transmit and receive documents only. And although fax machines have been greatly enhanced over the years to a point where now fax machines operate unattended and at relatively high transmission speeds, the fax machine still serves a single function, i.e., to transmit and receive copies. More recently, electronic printers have appeared. These machines generate prints from video image signals representing the image to be printed. And, while electronic printers have been and are being improved to provide better resolution and higher speeds, the function of the printer has remained the same, that is, to produce prints in the fastest, most expeditious, and inexpensive way possible.
For the future, multi-functional machines which combine in one machine copy, print and fax functions are expected to take the place of the multitude of separate and single purpose machines of today. While multi-function machines will tend to reduce the number of separate and single function machines in the marketplace today, these multi-function machines, in order to operate efficiently, will require priority and ordering of the diverse copy, print and fax functions of which they are capable. This is particularly important where the machine is able to carry out more than one function at a time.